II. For Whom the Bell Tolls (Chapter Two)
Silence. The bells slowly stop tolling, and the cathedral falls into an ominous quiet. You and Burt look at each other with worried eyes as you follow Allard through the large wooden doors to the narthex. Stone rubble and broken glass lie scattered across the floor. The doors to the main hall have long since fallen off their hinges. Though darkness consumes the structure, the full moon glistens through the broken stained glass and dilapidated doorway.
Allard kneels and traces a cloth down the length of his sword. He turns to you and Burt.
“I’ll focus on Andromadus. You two concentrate on Quatal. If I tell you to run, you run. Got it?”
“Don’t worry, Allard. I have the Mark of Phoenix. Nothing can stop me,” Burt reminds Allard.
You roll your eyes.
“Burt…” Allard puts his palm to his face. “Just stick with Adventurer.”
Burt smiles and pats you on your back.
Allard leads you and Burt into the grand stone halls of the Saxum de Phasma. Pews sit in disarray, some gathered into a pile in the corner of the room, perhaps to block exits. You scan the cathedral for Andromadus when suddenly Allard stops, placing the tip of his sword down to the ground before him, causing a “dink” to echo through the empty hall.
The full moon shines like a spotlight through what’s left of the circular stained glass window just above the apse. A grandiose staircase with torn red velvet carpet draws your eyes to the silhouetted figure atop. The horns are more sinuous than you can remember. An aura devours the cathedral in black dread. Andromadus stands before you, holding his arms behind his back. Though the silhouette lacks detail, one thing stands out—his eye. Glaring down upon the golden whisker that managed to rend him, the whisker with the Mark of the Phoenix, and you. You start to wonder why you are here in the first place and what got you into this mess. But that’s neither here nor there.
“Bring us Quatal,” Allard demands.
Andromadus steps forward to descend the staircase. “You don’t make the commands, Allard. It seems as though I have the upper hand. And since you only have one,” Andromadus lifts his hands, looking at his palms, “it is I who makes the calls.”
“Give us our friend back…” Burt shouts, becoming impatient. “...and the Atlas too!”
“Your friend is busy hanging out. Would you like to join him?” Andromadus points toward the ceiling, where the chandelier rests above the pews.
“Quatal!” Burt yells. A large, squirming canvas sack hangs from the chandelier by a rope. “How dare you!”
“He’s fine. He has not been harmed. Well, mostly just malnourished, as I’m not one for Wisterian cuisine,” Andromadus chuckles as he finally reaches the bottom of the stairs.
“Release him and the Atlas, and I will give you what you seek,” Allard demands.
“Where is it? Show me,” Andromadus snaps back.
Allard nudges you to present it from your pack. You pull it out carefully without touching it. You notice that the corrupted shard is glowing. Standing out like a sore thumb in the dark cathedral.
“Yes! This is it!” Andromadus hisses.
“Come, it is yours then,” Allard says plainly.
Andromadus’ eye twitches, and begins to walk toward you when Allard picks up his sword and rushes toward Andromadus. Moving with lightning speed, you and Burt are shocked when you see Allard stop just a pinch away from Andromadus with the sword resting before his face.
“You forget so easily,” Andromadus says as he holds his hands up to the sword, carefully swiping his palm to draw blood.
Allard’s grip on the claymore becomes slippery when he notices his hand is bleeding too. A few drops hit the stone floor with an audible smack.
“We are of the same blood, you and I, Allard. I didn’t expect the missing eye to blind all of your senses,” Andromadus snarls.
“Then I’ll cut you until I’ve bled your blood out,” Allard snaps.
Andromadus smiles. “That’s not how it works.”
“So, how does it work?” Allard asks.
“Well, you must first find what is tying us together…” Andromadus stops himself and tilts his head confused. “What is happening?”
“Tell me how to break our bond.”
“It’s easy. Just shatter the Alchemist’s Eye.” Andromadus steps back in anger, unable to comprehend what’s happening. “Why…did I tell you that!?” Andromadus stammers.
“Where is the Eye?” Allard asks.
“The Settlement of the Dead. You won’t be able to find it without me. How are you doing this to me?” Andromadus snarls.
“Why do you want the corrupted shard?” Allard questions as he approaches Andromadus.
“I don’t want it… they… want it.” Andromadus looks like he is struggling with an invisible force.
“Who are they?”
“They… they’re… no…no…!” Andromadus shouts as he casts a spell of a mighty wind, throwing Allard onto his back.
You and Burt use that as a signal to start casting spells at Andromadus. Burt’s hands become aflame with rage as he slings countless fireballs. Each attack is countered by Andromadus as he seems to catch them in midair, but it’s enough time for Allard to rise and rush into the fight.
“Quatal!” Allard shouts at you and Burt.
You look up at the chandelier wondering how to free him when Burt instinctively shoots a fireball at it.
You run to stop him when a fireball knocks the whole chandelier free and begins falling to the stone floor. Burt pushes you out of the way and suddenly bursts into a flame with wings spread as wide as the chandelier. You turn away as the heat and light become too much to bear. The Mark of Phoenix causes the wooden pews to char as Burt ascends to the canvas sack and frees Quatal before the chandelier shatters to the floor.
You rush to Burt, whose flame slowly turns to ash, and help him up. You quickly cast a sharp ice spear and cut the canvas bag open to find Quatal, barely conscious.
“We have Quatal!” Burt yells to Allard.
“Nice work!” Allard calls out between dodging Andromadus’ spells. “Now the Atlas!”
You and Burt look at each other, then to Quatal.
“Where’s the Atlas, Quatal?” Burt asks, but Quatal can hardly speak.
You and Burt drag him back to the cathedral entrance when you are stunned by the Queen’s Royal Guard standing before you. Quickly, you and Burt drag Quatal back toward the fight.
Allard and Andromadus slowly make their way up the steps to the helm of the cathedral. Andromadus’ invisible shield parries each massive swing from Allard’s claymore. You and Burt watch as Allard and Andromadus become silhouettes before the moon at the top of the steps while Queen Moonfabias’ Royal Guard stands at the entrance waiting.
“Allard! We have a problem!” Burt cries out.
“I know that, Burt! I’m dealing with it right now!” Allard growls as he spreads his arms, casting a powerful earth spell.
The fallen stone debris rises and launches toward Andromadus, knocking him to the ground. Allard rushes toward the dreadful fallen whisker and pushes his sword to Andromadus’ chest.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Andromadus says with a smile.
“Allard!” Burt shouts at the base of the stairs.
“Shut up, Burt! Find the Atlas!” Allard howls.
“There’s no need to find it,” Andromadus smirks and slides open his robe to display the Atlas tucked into his garments where Allard had just pierced with his blade.
Allard’s eye widens.
“Enough!” A voice cries out from the entrance.
Queen Moonfabias stands at the narthex with guards surrounding her.
You and Burt rush up the stairs to Allard and Andromadus. You never thought running toward Andromadus would be the safer choice. Quatal slowly awakens as you drag his limp body over each step.
“Allard, you dare bring this vile whisker into Wisteria? Or is this who you were planning on giving my artifact to? I’m sure the council in Windrose City would love to hear the Mighty Sir Allard has been negotiating with the most abominable whisker in The Great Pond,” Queen Moonfabias says, polishing her scepter.
“You think this is negotiating?” Allard interjects with the sword still at Andromadus’ chest.
“It’s whatever I want it to be. Now, I’m sure we can come to an agreement—a little quid pro quo,” Moonfabias says as she walks between the pews. “You give me what I want, and I will promise a safe trip back to the guild with a reward.”
“I want nothing from you.” Allard spits on the ground.
“Give me the shard, and I’ll give you the Atlas,” Andromadus whispers.
“Whispering doesn’t make friends,” Moonfabais says matter-of-factly.
Allard looks down at Andromadus, then back toward Moonfabias. You begin to wonder if Allard is truly considering giving Andromadus the corrupted shard. Isn’t this the most dangerous artifact in The Great Pond? Allard wouldn’t risk allowing Andromadus to have that kind of power. You hear a whistle in the distance.
“Do you hear that?” Burt whispers.
You nod. It’s so subtle and high-pitched that it’s easy to miss. No one else seems to notice it.
“Adventurer,” Allard says without turning to face you. “Lay the shard next to my left foot.” You freeze momentarily, worrying if Allard is making the right decision. “Andromadus, you do the same with the Atlas.”
Andromadus smiles as you slowly pull Zaranoah’s corrupted shard from your satchel. You crawl to Allard and lay it by his foot as he had commanded.
“Allard, your future as a guild member and citizen of The Great Pond will be tarnished forever if you do this. Exiled and hunted for the rest of your days. You will not be able to wash your feet in the streams or forage for sustenance in the forest without keeping your only eye on your back,” Moonfabias threatens.
“Andromadus,” Allard’s piercing stare shoots directly into Andromadus. “The Atlas.”
Andromadus slides over the map beside the shard.
“Burt, Adventurer, when I say, you two do as I command. Do not question it,” Allard demands.
Allard kicks the shard toward Andromadus and the Atlas to you. Andromadus grasps the shard and melds into the shadows, vanishing without a trace. Queen Moonfabias commands her guards to charge as Allard casts one more earth spell, shattering the stairs to the helm of the cathedral.
“Jump out of the window!” Allard yells as you scoop up the Atlas.
At that moment, ropes fall from the sky with Soraya and her troop of Gladefish warriors descending from the top of the cathedral tower. You and Burt hold onto Quatal as you jump out of the window and cling onto a rope with Allard just behind you. The speedy descent outside the cathedral shocks you as you struggle to gather yourself after hitting the ground. However, it becomes unnecessary as the troops toss you, Burt, and Quatal onto their backs and rush toward the city gates.
“Perfect timing, Soraya,” Allard says as he tries to catch his breath.
“Perfect timing would have been a few shades ago when we could have fought Andromadus together,” Soraya rebuts.
The darkness swallows the armored troops deep in the Sunshade Mountains outside Wisteria. You, Burt, and Allard gather with Soraya around the campfire late at night while the medics tend to Quatal in a tent nearby. The dense canopy of trees and vegetation makes it impossible to trek through at night, especially for Moonfabias’ Royal Guard. For the first time, the idea of sleeping in a tent excites you, as worrying about losing your life seemed so possible only shades ago.
“We failed,” Allard says with his head down, facing the fire.
“You can’t see this as a failure, Allard.” Soraya pats the large golden whisker on his back.
“Yeah! We saved Quatal and got the map back!” Burt cheers as he shovels freshly brewed soup into his mouth.
“Andromadus has the shard. It’s only a matter of time before we see the consequences of our actions,” Allard mutters.
“Consequences? What about the consequences of a dead Quatal or losing the Atlas? Do you know what Andromadus has planned with the shard?” Soraya asks.
“I’m sure it has something to do with Zaranoah. Although, he did say it wasn’t for him…I still think something else is at work here,” Allard suggests.
“Yeah, how did you get Andromadus to spill the beans?” Burt interjects.
“I applied the artifact spice to my blade before the fight. The first strike was only for it to touch his blood. I felt the same influence within my blood. Fortunately, he was so surprised he didn’t have the wits to interrogate me.”
“Now we must find this Alchemist’s Eye—another adventure to add to the list.” Burt rolls his eyes.
“It’s not going to be that simple,” Allard says.
“Especially if the entire Great Pond thinks you’re the villain now,” Soraya laughs.
“Thanks for the reminder,” Allard shoots back.